Dead ants and ringing ears
a short post on being a hypersensitive bug
I have been experiencing a strange and sporadic feeling of a throbbing or heavy fluttering in my ears since Monday night. Then, it was in either or both ears, inside my head but close to the ear. Since then it’s mostly just been in the left ear. I googled it and a lot of the results say ‘pulsatile tinnitus’, which is a thumping or pulsing or throbbing with a steady heartbeat like rhythm. I wouldn’t call what I’m experiencing steady; it’s fast-paced and urgent and stops within 3 seconds.
Another strange thing that I experience is that when the geyser is switched on at home, my ears start ringing. I noticed this a few months ago in winter, when the geyser was always on, and every time I’d walk towards the kitchen (outside of which the thing lies) the ringing would get louder. I thought it was the tubelight, but upon turning it off nothing changed and the ringing sound in ears continued. It was when I was perched on the sofa one morning looking out of the window which overlooks the kitchen balcony and witnessed my father turning the geyser on, upon which my ears immediately began to ring, that I made the connection.
Yet another strange thing is that ever since I can remember, I have been able to smell dead ants. This is apparently not usual but not too unusual either; it’s a thing. I associate this ability with Nutella, which we used to have at home pretty often when I was a kiddy kid. If the lid was left a little loose, the top of the jar was vulnerable to (an army of) ants. By the time I’d discover them and accidentally squash a few in the process, I’d catch a whiff of something I can best describe as metallic-sweet. I thought it was the tin foil of the Nutella jar, until years of the metallic-sweet in conjunction with the presence of ants (some dead, naturally) made me put 2 and 2 together.
I can also wiggle my ears ever so subtly. This too is a talent I have inherited from my dad. I think he has a little bit of tinnitus too. But this sensitive? I’m the only one in my house who can hear the geyser. It’s weird. I’d like to think all of these things make me a special creature. Perhaps an insect.
If you share any of these special talents please let me know because as much as I would like to continue feeling like an insect I would also appreciate some fellow insect-homies.